Calluna Events combines unique, creative and fresh ideas with amazing organizational skills and an exceptional attention to detail to create your perfect wedding or event. We’ve established an extensive network of venues and professional vendors to fit every style and budget. We offer innovative full service planning, wedding day coordination & hourly consulting.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Happy 4th Anniversary to one of Calluna Events all time favorite couples! Kathleen & Bob Burgin were married FOUR years ago today and we had the pleasure of helping them with the planning and day of coordination for their wedding. Here are some photos from their incredible day taken by the extremely talented Regina Mountjoy from Recherche Photography.

Kathleen and Bob used this as their thank you note for their wedding. They were the first couple I ever saw to do this and I think they started a trend!

If you want more information on Pastures of Plenty, European Flower Shop,SambaDende, Big Bang Catering or any other Boulder wedding vendors please give us a call and we can help you! If you are in need of a wedding planner or a day of coordinator for your wedding we can help too! Check out Laurel & Zach's wedding on our website HERE. If you have any questions about the wedding vendors listed above, please give us a call at 303-443-4617. We have many custom wedding packages to fit your needs!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

When I'm not busy with my exciting internship at Calluna Events, I work front desk for a hotel and often get to witness some pretty interesting things. A few weeks ago, a large wedding party was staying with us that made our hotel a very wild and exceptionally fun place to be. However, what really caught my attention is what the bride-to-be did for each of her guests to make them feel appreciated and welcome since many of them had traveled for the wedding. When I came in for my shift that day, the bride and a couple friends/relatives were filling our lounge area with laughter, excitement, and heaps of goodie bags! They had purchased prepackaged food in bulk (more cost efficient), gift bags, and ribbons. Each guest got a couple bottles of water, a rice crispy treat, candy bar, chips, goldfish crackers, and a list of things to do in the area during the time they were staying for the wedding. Then each bag was topped off with a short thank you note in appreciation of the guest which was tied on with some ribbon and signed by the bride and groom. These bags were then given out to guests as they arrived at the hotel and made everyone smile when they saw that the happy couple had thought of them.

Whether your guests come from near or far for your wedding, they are going out of their way to be there and support you for your big day. Although gifts are a traditional wedding accompaniment, they are often costly and sometimes overwhelming. This is a reminder that you can do things simple and fairly inexpensive. And you don't have to fill the bags with unhealthy treats or even food, but you can search for something of the same caliber to put a smile on your guests’ faces. Try checking out craft stores such as Hobby Lobby, , and Michael’s, or visit Costco or Sam’s Club for bulk food items. It also gives you the opportunity to be more creative and interpret your wedding style into the gift.

Try something befitting the season, if it's a summer wedding throw in a mini sunscreen, a drink mix, maybe some seeds, if winter, try hot chocolate or an ornament. Or try finding something that represents you or your fiance or your relationship together. Guests will feel that the gifts are more meaningful and that you went out of your way to think of them, while you may save some money and really personalize the gifts you’re giving out!

Here's a list of items you could include in a welcome bag for a Colorado Wedding - or in any state for that matter!

Anything personalized that signifies you (a mug with your photo on it, chocolates from your favorite place, pens with your wedding date on them, hats with the wedding location and date printed on them)

Monday, May 18, 2009

One of our favorite wedding videographers, Creative Mountain Images, was recently featured in an article in Brides' Colorado about hiring and working with a videographer for your wedding. We thought we'd share the story with you.

What sort of questions should couples as when interviewing a potential videographer? Find out if the person does videography full time or part time - generally those who do videography on the side cost less, but they usually don't have the state-of-the-art equipment or the level of techical skills that full-timers do. And ask if he or she uses dimmable lights. This is a great way to gauge whether the videographer will be intrusive or blend into the background: Videographers need light to see and shoot, but some equipment has just two modes - on and off - which can be annoying.

How can couples make the most of their videographer's services and make the day run smoothly? Make sure your videographer has an updated timeline of the reception that includes when and where important moments are expected to take place. I always suggest brides hire a wedding planner if they can, because these pros are invaluable in terms of keeping all the vendors updated on the inevitable schedule changes that happen - and by extension, the bride always comes across looking much more relaxed on video."

What are some ways to make videography a more budget-friendly option for couples? Don't assume the packages are set in stone. It's typically not a problem for a videographer to add or subtract services to create a custom package that meets your specific needs and budget.

How long does it take for a video to be edited and completed? It generally takes anywhere from four weeks to four months, depending on when the wedding takes place - the third week of August is our busiest time. But it should never take longer than six months. If you're celebrating your one-year anniversary and you still don't have your video, something is wrong.

Is there anything couples can do to help with the post-production process? When sending songs to your videographer for the soundtrack, it's a good idea to send extras. I love when clients send me a whole disc of options, because then I'm able to let the footage dictate what songs will work best.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

My dear friend (and Calluna Events Associate Planner), Spice recently gave me the book Green Wedding - Planning Your Eco-Friendly Celebration by Mireya Navarro. I've really been enjoying reading the book, not only as a resource for helping brides' implement sustainable and eco-friendly elements into their weddings but also because there are some amazing photos and wonderful ideas for any wedding - eco or not. And because eco-friendly weddings are on the rise (and so they should be!) it's more important that ever that we are knowledgeable and informed about ways to help our clients make the most of their big day while minimizing their impact on the environment!

Take a look at Mireya Navarro's website, as well as see excerpts from the book at her website. Here's some info about the book from Ms. Navarro's website:

Green is the new white for today’s brides — metaphorically speaking. Environmentally conscious couples are often appalled by the cumulative carbon footprint of traditional weddings and are seeking ways of expressing their earth-friendly values as they express their love. Green Wedding shows there are smart alternatives — products and services as well as planning decisions — that can reduce environmental harm while ensuring a joyous, memorable and stylish celebration.

Some environmentalists say the best green wedding is the one that doesn’t happen at all. Elope, they say. On a bicycle. But couples who stick to a more traditional approach can still plan the wedding of their dreams and do well by the environment. Green Wedding, an authoritative guide by New York Times Staff Writer Mireya Navarro, cuts through the green noise to help couples rethink every aspect of the big event, from the invitations and venue to the food and flowers, so that they stand against waste and excess. It features pioneering brides and grooms who already planned green weddings and share their experiences and lessons, with color pictures showing that green can be as gorgeous as it is responsible.

In light of the mammoth challenge posed by global warming, what can a wedding do? Would it really make a difference if couples served locally grown food or chose a venue that cut down on travel?

The answer is an absolute yes.

“This is a huge industry and every choice for a green wedding builds the momentum for an entire industry to shift practices,” said Audrey Peller, a manager with Global Footprint Network, an international non-profit organization that promotes sustainability.

Green Wedding presents ideas for making any celebration, not just a wedding or commitment ceremony, more sustainable, at any budget. Green Wedding also tackles how to deal with consumer dilemmas, the new green etiquette and the occasional resistant guest. Yes, some loved ones may roll their eyes at the registry directing them to donate to help save the polar bear rather than to a new set of towels. But green weddings are inspiring friends and relatives to follow couples along a greener path.

And because environmental responsibility isn’t just a one-day affair, the book includes chapters on ecotourism honeymoons and on living green throughout married life.

They were such a fun couple to work with. Both lived out of state, Margie in LA and David in Texas and were planning a destination wedding while having a long-distance relationship. They had met while in college at University of Colorado in Boulder and had then gone on to get married to different people and live in different states. Many years later, after both had divorced, they reconnect on MySpace. David is a musician and Margie found him through his MySpace page.

They started a long-distance relationship and quickly realized that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. Because they both had lived in Boulder at one time they decided to do the wedding there. Their ceremony and reception were held at a private residence owned by Margie’s cousin. The setting was amazing; large and expansive views of the Flatirons and plenty of room for their 160 guests.

Margie and David wanted a completely laid back feeling where the emphasis was on the food, music and décor. For the food we brought in Dave Query, owner of the Big Red F restaurants (Jax, Centro, West End) in Boulder and Denver. Dave and his crew catered both the rehearsal dinner on the property as well as the dinner the night of the wedding. The food was based loosely on the food from Centro and had a southwestern flair to it.

Because David is a musician, music was very important to them,. They complied a great collaboration of musicians from Boulder that make up the band La Candela, a salsa band.

Margie had an amazing vision for her colors and décor, wanting to keep with the laid back feel but give the tent a pop. We brought in Denver Design Works, who transformed the tent. The ceiling was draped with pink and orange fabric that created a lovely atmosphere. There were pink and orange paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Lights were projected onto the fabric and lanterns to create a warm glow. Design Works also brought in the linens and napkins to coordinate. The centerpieces, candles, place cards and favors all matched the décor and colors. David has a daughter from his prior marriage and they decided to have his daughter as their maid of honor. They also chose all children on both sides for the bridesmaids and groomsmen. It was adorable.